Republic Bank CPL T20 at the Providence Stadium
In what has become the biggest rivalry in the 14-season history of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) knocked out the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) with a six-wicket win at Providence last night.
In a ‘must-win’ game for TKR, they were restricted to 126-8 in 20 overs despite 35 from Justin Greaves.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz had 4-23 to follow up his 3-13 in his last match. Miraz was supported by Shamar Joseph (2-27).
The 47-year-old Imran Tahir’s 1-21 took him to 13 wickets, tied jointly with Mohammed Nabi for the lead in the franchise column and fourth overall.
An unbeaten 42 from Shai Hope led the Warriors to 127-4 from 18.4 overs, ending the game with a six.
TKR were invited to bat on a good track and fast outfield, and Colin Munro did most of the scoring in a 41-run opening partnership with Alex Hales.
Munro hit Dwaine Pretorius for six in the first over, and when Veerasammy Permaul, in his first match of the season, was introduced in the fourth over, Munro smashed the left-arm spinner for a couple of boundaries.
But when on 26 with four fours and a six, Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled Munro and Skipper Nicholas Pooran for a duck off consecutive deliveries at 41-2 in the fifth over
Hales hit three fours in his 22 before leggie Tahir removed him at 59-3 in the 10th over after the 50 was posted in eight overs.
Jyd Goolie and Greaves carried the score to 72 before Man-of-the-Match Miraz struck again, bowling Goolie (4) to the delight of another capacity crowd, many of whom missed the commencement of the ‘much anticipated’ match-up due to traffic congestion.
Miraz bowled Sunil Narine (4) at 84-5 before Greaves, who deposited Miraz for six, was bowled by Joseph with a delivery which was clocked at 151.1 km.
Greaves’ demise for 35 with four and six left TKR on the ropes at 99-6 and made way for Kieron Pollard and Joshua Da Silva to join forces.
Da Silva (4) did not last long as the 37-year-old Permaul held a stunning one-handed catch on the cover boundary to give the frighteningly fast Joseph his second wicket.
Permaul’s effort rekindled memories of the one-handed catch by Malteenoes ‘ball boy’ Wasim Ali, who was a featured guest in the TV commentary booth and was presented with a special gift by Republic Bank.
Kieron Pollard (10) was caught at long-on off Pretorius four runs later to leave TKR on 115-8, and the noise level in the Stadium reached a crescendo.
Akeal Hosein hit two fours in his unbeaten 12.
Hunting a small total, Mavendra Dindyal hit Akeal Hosein for two sixes after stroking Narine for a boundary before his 14-ball 19 ended when Hosein trapped him lbw at 22-1.
Hope joined Glenn Phillips in a Carnival-like atmosphere, but Usman Tariq bowled Phillips (11) at 36-2 in the seventh over.
Hope joined forces with Shimron Hetmyer, who brought up the 50 in the ninth over with a six off Jyd Goolie. The fans in the stands turned on their phones to create a sea of lights.
Hetmyer deposited Narine for a six before being magnificently taken by a diving Greaves, trying to hit another six off the next ball. Hetmyer hit three sixes in his 28 from 19 balls.
Miraz (2) fell to Lahiru Kumara at 93-4, bringing Wednesday night’s hero Quinten Sampson to the crease.
The 26-year-old Essequibian’s arrival was greeted by a deafening roar from the dancing flag-waving crowd.
The pugnacious Sampson pounded Greaves for two fours while Hope clobbered Kumara for six, his first boundary off his 30th ball, as he controlled the game to finish unbeaten on 42 from 35 balls with one four and two sixes, the last one ending the contest. Sampson remained undefeated on 12.
The party continued well into Saturday morning as fans bid CPL farewell with the Warriors’ eighth victory
The Warriors will face the Barbados Tridents tomorrow in Barbados in their last round before the play-offs.
